Do These Five Green Things!

Give up bottled water - Average household reduction of CO2 emissions: 216 pounds a year

Wash your laundry in cold water - Average household reduction of CO2 emissions: 327 pounds a year

Switch to compact fluorescent lightbulbs - Average household reduction of CO2 emissions: 566 pounds a year

Set thermostat at 68° in winter, 78° in summer- Average household reduction of CO2 emissions: 553 pounds a year

Cut your gasoline use by one quarter - Average single car reduction of CO2 emissions: 2500 pounds a year

Are You Ready
to Make Changes for a Greener World?

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Go Green At Home Think individual actions don’t matter? Think again! The way you live and work at home can have a crucial impact on our environment.

Home Activities with High Impact on the Environment Transportation Did you know driving your personal vehicle can contribute 32 percent of total greenhouse gases? 79 percent of air pollution? and 30 percent of water pollution?

Food Did you know your food choices can contribute 12 percent of total greenhouse gases? 26 percent of air pollution? and 60 percent of water pollution?

Household Operations Did you know the way you live and work at home can contribute 35 percent of total greenhouse gases? 52 percent of air pollution? and 34 percent of water pollution? Based on information from The Union of Concerned Scientists.

5 Ways to Go Green, While Saving Green, in Your Home

While making your home energy efficient is good for the environment, it’s also good for your wallet.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, consumers spend $241 billion annually on home energy and 1.2 billion tons of green-house emissions are released as a byproduct. The typical family spends $1,900 on home utility bills, and much of the energy isn’t used. It’s estimated that doing a few simple home improvements would cut the amount of carbon-dioxide released, as well as the amount of money spent on energy bills annually, in half. We dug up some things you can do around the house to help lower both greenhouse gases and your utilities.

Tip #1: Get rid of vampires or other phantom power suckers:This isn’t a reference to the blood-sucking villain or popular culture, but a term that’s used to refer to appliances that suck energy when not in use. Vampire energy, also known as phantom energy or standby power, accounts for 20 percent of home electricity use and 1 percent of carbon dioxide emissions.The biggest culprits are small appliances like coffee-makers, TVs, laptops, cell phone chargers, fans and hair dryers. You can cut back on standby power use by unplugging appliances after you use them or installing a power strip to easily turn several appliances off at once.
Estimated savings: It depends. Cornell University estimates that vampire power adds about $200 to residential energy bills annually.

Tip #2: Change your water heating: The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that water heating can account for 14 to 25 percent of energy use each month. The best way to save energy—and money—is to turn down your hot water heater down to 120 degrees. Most manufacturers set the temperature at 140 degrees which isn’t necessary in washing machines and most dish washers. Want further savings? Most clothing doesn’t need to be washed in hot water; warm to cold water works just as well, and cold water is always fine for rinsing. Consider investing in a front-loader machine which use less water, energy and can cut down on drying times.
Estimated savings: At a very minimum of 3 to 10 percent but a new washer could save you an additional $135 each year on your utility bills.

Tip #4: Heating and cooling: On average 43 percent of your utility bill goes toward heating or cooling. Heating and cooling systems also generate 12 percent of the nation’s sulfur dioxide and 4 percent of the nitrogen oxides—the two chief ingredients in acid rain. Whether its 10 or 110 degrees, there are several things you can do to significantly decrease heating and cooling costs.

Governor Jay Nixon has a web site TRANSFORM MISSOURI INITIATIVE to see how the stimulus money is being used and to submit ideas about job creation.
The National Web Site www.recovery.gov shows what is happening nationwide and the associated costs.

In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant having leaves all year round. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage for part of the year. When few nutrients are available, evergreen plants have an advantage. Evergeen Center will promote ideas and activities for continuous greening and renewal.